Power supply equipment utilizing interchangeable tips to provide power and a data signal to electronic devices

ABSTRACT

Power supply equipment includes an adapter which converts power from a power source to DC power for powering an electronic device. The power supply equipment includes circuitry which produces a data signal for use by the electronic device to control power drawn by the electronic device. A cable, extends from the adapter. The power supply equipment further includes a tip which has an input side and an output side. The input side of the tip is detachable mateable to the cable. The output side of the tip is detachably mateable to the electronic device. The tip output side has a shape and size dependent on the shape and size of a power input opening of the electronic device. The tip provides the data signal, as well as the DC power, to the electronic device. Different tips may be used to provide appropriate data signals to different electronic devices.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 14/736,885,filed on Jun. 11, 2015, which is a divisional of application Ser. No.13/461,149, filed on May 1, 2012; now U.S. Pat. No. 9,153,960, issued onOct. 6, 2015, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No.13/209,636, filed on Aug. 15, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,330,303, issuedon Dec. 11, 2012; which is a continuation of application Ser. No.12/840,952, filed on Jul. 21, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,999,412 issuedon Aug. 16, 2011; which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser.No. 11/604,950, filed on Nov. 28, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,868,486issued on Jan. 11, 2011; which is a continuation-in-part of applicationSer. No. 10/758,933, filed on Jan. 15, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,453,171issued on Nov. 18, 2008. Each of the preceding patents and applicationsis herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Technical Field

This invention relates to DC power adapters for powering electronicdevices.

Description of the Related Arts

There are power systems in the art which allow a user to hook up a DC/DCadapter to an automobile outlet, to supply regulated DC power to poweran electronic device, such as a notebook computer. Automobile outletstypically provide a DC voltage in a range between 11.0 and 14.1 Volts.Some power systems also allow the user to hook up the DC/DC adapter toan airplane output such as the EMPOWER system. EMPOWER typicallyprovides a DC voltage in a range between 14.5 and 15.5 Volts.

Accordingly, some DC/DC adapters can be used with both an automobileoutlet and the EMPOWER system to provide a regulated DC power to theelectronic device such as the notebook computer. Notebook computersoften contain lithium ion batteries. Such batteries can be rechargedwhen the notebook computer is hooked up to the DC/DC adapter. Forexample, if the user is in a car, the user can couple a DC/DC adapter tothe notebook computer and to the cigarette lighter outlet to power thenotebook computer. The batteries in the notebook computer will draw someof the DC power supplied to recharge the batteries of the notebookcomputer if they are low in power. Accordingly, the user cansimultaneously use the notebook computer and recharge the batteriestherein.

The user can also use the DC/DC adapter while on an airplane, byplugging the DC/DC adapter into the EMPOWER outlet. The EMPOWER outletand the automobile outlets have different sizes and shapes. Accordingly,the user can directly plug the DC/DC adapter into the EMPOWER outlet,and can place a connector over the EMPOWER plug of the DC/DC adapter andthen plug the connector into the automobile cigarette lighter outlet.When the user hooks the DC/DC adapter up to the EMPOWER outlet and thento the electronic device, the electronic device receives the regulatedDC power. However, if the charging circuitry in the batterymalfunctions, the battery can overheat or even catch on fire whenrecharging from an EMPOWER DC source. If the battery were to catch onfire while an airplane in which the emPlower outlet is located isflying, the fire would have the potential to cause the airplane to crashor cause substantial damage.

To address this problem, one system in the art provides a connector toconnect between the DC/DC adapter and the notebook computer to informthe notebook computer not to recharge the batteries. FIG. 1 illustratesa power supply system according to the prior art. As shown, a DC powersource 100 is coupled to a DC/DC adapter 105 via a cable 102. The DC/DCadapter 105 receives power from the DC power source 100 and outputsregulated DC power to an electronic device 120, via a cable 110 and aconnector 115 coupled to the end of the cable 110.

The DC/DC adapter 105 can provide three output pins to the electronicdevice 120, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B of the prior art. The first pincan provide the output voltage (i.e., Vout), the second pin can providea ground reference (i.e., GND), and the third pin can provide a dataline (i.e., Vdata) to instruct the notebook as to whether the batteriesshould be recharged or not. For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, Vdatacould be tied to GND to indicate that the DC power source 100 is theEMPOWER system and therefore the battery should not be recharged.Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2B, Vdata could also be left open (i.e.,to provide a non-grounded floating voltage) when the DC power source 100in a cigarette lighter outlet of an automobile. Accordingly, when usingthe DC/DC adapter 105 while in an automobile, the user would use aconnector 115 having the Vdata line floating, and when using the DC/DCadapter 105 with the EMPOWER system of an airplane, the user would use aconnector 115 having the Vdata line tied to GND.

However, problems arise when the user forgets to change the connector115 for use with the automobile when the user is in an airplane.Accordingly, if the user has the wrong connector 115 attached when usingwith the EMPOWER system, a battery of an electronic device 120 such as anotebook computer can charge the battery even when used with the EMPOWERsystem, and if the charging circuitry of the battery malfunctions,overheating or even a fire can occur, resulting in damage to thenotebook computer. Also, if the connector 115 is damaged or flawed, thenit may not provide the correct Vdata signal to the notebook computer,allowing the notebook computer to recharge the batteries in an airplanewhen they shouldn't be allowed to do so.

Accordingly, current DC/DC power adapter systems are deficient becausethey are incapable of automatically and intelligently informing anelectronic device 120 coupled thereto of the DC power source (i.e., theEMPOWER system or an automobile cigarette lighter outlet).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a power supply system according to the prior art;

FIG. 2A illustrates a first connector to coupled a power supply systemto an electronic device according to the prior art;

FIG. 2B illustrates a second connector to coupled a power supply systemto an electronic device according to the prior art;

FIG. 3 illustrates a power supply system according to an embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 4A illustrates a tip having digital control circuitry according toan embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4B illustrates a tip having analog control circuitry according toan embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5A illustrates comparison circuitry according to an embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 5B illustrates comparison circuitry according to an additionalembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates an electronic device according to an embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 7A illustrates a method of determining and outputting Vdataaccording to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7B illustrates a method of receiving Vdata and allowing power toflow to devices within the electronic device based on Vdata according toan embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 8 illustrates a power supply system according to an embodiment ofthe invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An embodiment of the present invention is directed to a power supplysystem to determine a DC power source (e.g., an automobile cigarettelighter outlet or an EMPOWER airplane outlet) coupled thereto and send asignal indicative of the power source to an electronic device coupledthereto. The electronic device may be a notebook computer or otherportable consumer electronic device, for example. Based on the signalsent to the electronic device, the electronic device may control theamount of power drawn to prevent overheating. For example, when anotebook computer is hooked up and the power source is the EMPOWERsystem, the electronic device may disable charging of the internalbatteries of the notebook computer, in order to prevent damage oroverheating of the batteries due to malfunction or failure. The DC powersource may be determined by voltage comparison circuitry, such as acomparator, or by a voltage comparison device including a processor.

FIG. 3 illustrates a power supply system 301 according to an embodimentof the invention. As shown, the adapter 340 may be used with an AC powersource 300 or a DC power source 305. In other embodiments, only a DCpower source 305 may be utilized to supply power. The AC power source300 may be coupled to an AC/DC adapter 310 via a cable 342. The DC powersource 305 may be coupled to both a DC/DC adapter 315 and comparisoncircuitry 320 via a cable 345. The DC power source 305 may be anautomobile's cigarette lighter outlet or an airplane's EMPOWER systemoutlet, for example. AC/DC adapter 310 may convert AC power from the ACpower source 300 into regulated DC power, which is supplied topost-regulation circuitry 325. The post-regulation circuitry 325 mayprovide an output voltage (Vout) and a ground reference (GND) to a tip330 coupled to the adapter 340 via a cable 350, as further explainedbelow with respect to FIGS. 4A and 4B. The tip 330 may be coupled to anelectronic device 335 to provide the power thereto from the power supplysystem 301. The tip 330 may be removable from the cable 350 and may beinserted into a power input opening of the electronic device. Tips 330may have different shapes and sizes, depending up the shape and sizes ofthe power input openings of the respective electronic devices 335 beingpowered. The tip 330 may also include control circuitry 365 to provide asignal to control circuitry 370 of the adapter 340. The signal may besent to the control circuitry 370 via the cable 350. In one embodiment,the control circuitry 365 of the tip 330 may include digital componentsto provide a digital signal to the control circuitry 370 of the adapter340. The digital signal may be utilized to set the magnitude of Vout andlimit the amount of current which may be drawn from the adapter 340. Thepost-regulation circuitry 325 regulates the voltage to what the tip 330tells it to provide.

Alternatively, the tip 330 may include analog components and may providevoltage programming and current programming voltages (V_(Vprogram) andV_(Iprogram), respectively) to the adapter 340. V_(Vprogram) may beutilized to set the magnitude of Vout. For example, there may be alinear relationship between V_(Vprogram) and Vout where Vout is 3 timesas large as V_(Vprogram). Accordingly, if V_(Vprogram) had a magnitudeof 3.0 Volts, Vout would have a magnitude of 9.0 Volts, and ifV_(Vprogram) had a magnitude of 2.0 Volts, Vout would have a magnitudeof 6.0 Volts. The analog circuitry may contain passive or activecomponents.

Accordingly, regardless of whether the tip 330 has analog or digitalcontrol circuitry, a single adapter 340 may be used to supply power to aplurality of different electronic devices 335 having different powerrequirements.

The adapter 340 may also include comparison circuitry 320. Thecomparison circuitry 320 may compare a magnitude of a voltage receivedfrom the DC power source 305 with a reference voltage to determinewhether the DC power source 305 is an automobile cigarette lighteroutlet or an EMPOWER airplane outlet. As stated above, automobilecigarette lighter outlets typically provide a DC voltage having amagnitude within the range of 11.0 Volts and 14.1 Volts. An EMPOWERairplane outlet typically provides a DC voltage having a magnitudewithin the range of 14.5 and 15.5 Volts. Accordingly, the referencevoltage may be set at a level between the high end of the automobilecigarette light outlet voltage (i.e., 14.1 Volts) and the low end of theEMPOWER airplane outlet voltage (i.e., 14.5 Volts). For example, thereference voltage may be set at 14.3 Volts. Accordingly, if themagnitude of the DC power source is greater than 14.3 Volts, then thecomparison voltage may determine that the received DC voltage has agreater magnitude than the reference voltage and the DC power source 305is therefore the EMPOWER airplane outlet. However, if the magnitude ofthe DC power source is less than 14.3 Volts, then the comparison voltagemay determine that the received DC voltage has a smaller magnitude thanthe reference voltage and the DC power source 305 is therefore theautomobile cigarette lighter outlet.

The comparison circuitry 320 may output a signal Vdata based uponwhether the DC power source is determined to be the automobile cigarettelighter outlet or the EMPOWER airplane outlet. For example, thecomparison may output 5 Volts if the automobile cigarette lighter outletis detected, and 0.0 Volts if the EMPOWER airplane outlet is detected.In alternative embodiments, different voltages for Vdata may be used. Inadditional embodiments, the comparison circuitry 320 may output adigital signal, such as a stream of bits, indicative of the DC powersource 305. Vdata may be sent via cable 350 to the tip 330, and straightover to the electronic device 335. The electronic device 335 may includea controller 360 which is responsive to Vdata. For example, if theelectronic device 335 is a notebook computer and Vdata is indicative ofthe EMPOWER airplane outlet system, the controller 360 may disablebattery charging circuitry 600, thereby preventing recharging of thebatteries. And if the Vdata is indicative of the automobile cigarettelighter outlet as the DC power source 305, the controller 360 may enablebattery charging circuitry to allow the batteries to be recharged.

Although FIG. 3 illustrates an adapter 340 which includes both a AC/DCadapter and a DC/DC adapter, other embodiments may include only a DC/DCadapter, and no AC/DC adapter.

FIG. 4A illustrates a tip 400 having digital control circuitry 402according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown, the tip 400receives Vdata, Vout and GND from the adapter 340 and allows them to allflow to the electronic device 335. The digital control circuitry 402 mayreceive the Vout and GND signals and may output a control signal to theadapter 340 to set the magnitude of Vout and limit the current provided.The control signal may be sent to the adapter 340 via the cable 350between the tip 400 and the adapter 340. The digital control circuitry402 may include a processor and a memory device, for example. In someembodiments, the tip 400 may be separable from cable 350, and in otherembodiments, the tip 400 may be physically part of the cable 350.

FIG. 4B illustrates a tip 405 having analog control circuitry 410according to an embodiment of the invention. As shown, the tip 405receives Vdata, Vout and GND from the adapter 340 and allows them to allflow to the electronic device 335. The analog control circuitry 410 mayreceive the Vout and GND signals and may output V_(Vprogram) andV_(Iprogram) to the adapter 340. V_(Vprogram) and V_(Iprogram) may besent to the adapter 340 via the cable 350 between the tip 405 and theadapter 340. The analog control circuitry 400 may include passive oractive components, for example. In some embodiments, the tip 400 may beseparable from cable 350, and in other embodiments, the tip 400 may bephysically part of the cable 350.

FIG. 5A illustrates comparison circuitry 320 according to an embodimentof the invention. As shown, the comparison circuitry 320 includes acomparator 500. The comparator 500 receives (a) the DC power signal fromthe DC power source 305, and (b) a reference voltage, Vref. Thecomparator outputs Vdata based on whether the magnitude of the DC powerfrom the DC power source exceeds Vref, as described above with respectto FIG. 3.

FIG. 5B illustrates comparison circuitry 320 according to an additionalembodiment of the invention. As shown, the comparison circuitry 320includes a processor 505. The processor 505 receives (a) the DC powersignal from the DC power source 305, and (b) value of a referencevoltage stored in memory. The processor 505 then outputs Vdata based onwhether the magnitude of the DC power from the DC power source exceedsVref, as described above with respect to FIG. 3. The processor 505 mayoutput a single high or low voltage (e.g., 5.0 Volts or 0.0 Volts) basedon the detected DC power source. Alternatively, the processor 505 mayoutput a stream of bits to indicate the DC power source.

FIG. 6 illustrates an electronic device 335 according to an embodimentof the invention. As shown, the electronic device 335 may receive GND,Vout and Vdata from the tip 330. Vdata may be received by a controller360. The controller 360 may disable battery charging circuitry 600 ofthe electronic device 335 from charging batteries when Vdata isindicative of the EMPOWER outlet. Alternatively, the controller 360enables battery charging circuitry 600 so that the batteries of theelectronic device may be charged based on the value of Vdata.

FIG. 7A illustrates a method of determining and outputting Vdataaccording to an embodiment of the invention. The processing shown inFIG. 7A may be implemented by the adapter 340. First, DC power isreceived 700 from the DC power source 305. Next, the comparisoncircuitry determines 705 whether the magnitude of the voltage of the DCpower received is greater than Vref. If “no,” the comparison circuitrydetermines the DC power source 305 to be an automobile cigarette lighteroutlet, and processing proceeds to operation 710, where Vdata is outputwith a signal/voltage magnitude indicating that the DC power source 305is the automobile cigarette lighter outlet. Processing then returns tooperation 700. If “yes,” at operation 705, processing proceeds tooperation 715, where Vdata is output with a signal/voltage magnitudeindicating that the DC power source 305 is the EMPOWER airplane outlet.

FIG. 7B illustrates a method of receiving Vdata and allowing power toflow to devices within the electronic device 335 based on Vdataaccording to an embodiment of the invention. First, the electronicdevice 335 receives 720 the Vdata signal. As discussed above, the Vdatasignal is sent from the adapter 340 through the tip 330 and over to thecontrol circuitry 365 of the electronic device 335. Next, based on theVdata signal, a first set of predetermined devices may be prevented 725from receiving power. For example, if the electronic device 335 is anotebook computer, the control circuitry 365 may prevent batteries fromrecharging if Vdata indicates that the DC power source is the EMPOWERairplane outlet. Other devices/components in the electronic device 335may also be prevented from receiving power or from functioning in acertain way.

At operation 730, a second set of predetermined devices may be allowedto receive power based on the Vdata signal. For example, if Vdataindicates that the DC power source is an automobile cigarette lighteroutlet, then power may be available to batteries of the electronicdevice 335 to allow recharging. Other devices/components in theelectronic device 335 may also be allowed to receive power or functionin a particular way.

In embodiments described above, the Vdata signal may be used to send asignal to the control circuitry 365 indicating the DC power source. Thissignaling may be done via a discrete bit, an analog signal, a datasignal line, an analog voltage, or via any other suitable manner. TheVdata signal may be transmitted from the adapter 340 to the tip 330 andelectronic device 335 via a single signaling line or multiple signalinglines.

FIG. 8 illustrates a power supply system 800 according to an embodimentof the invention. The power supply system 800 is similar to the powersupply system 301 shown in FIG. 3. However, unlike the power supplysystem 301, in which the adapter 340 itself contains comparisoncircuitry 370, the adapter 340 of power supply system 800 does notcontain the comparison circuitry 805. Instead, a regular adapter 340 maybe used and the electronic device 335 itself includes the comparisoncircuitry 805 for determining the DC power source. The electronic device335 may be a notebook computer and may implement the methods shown inFIGS. 7A and 7B.

While the description above refers to particular embodiments of thepresent invention, it will be understood that many modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit thereof. The accompanying claimsare intended to cover such modifications as would fall within the truescope and spirit of the present invention. The presently disclosedembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims, rather than the foregoing description,and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalencyof the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:
 1. Power supply equipment capable of supplying powerfrom a power source, external to the power supply equipment, to anelectronic device having an internal battery, comprising: an adapterthat converts power from the power source from AC to DC power or from DCto DC power and supplies the DC power to the battery in the electronicdevice to charge the battery; and a circuit that includes active orpassive components that generates a data signal for use by theelectronic device to control charging of the battery; and aninterconnection device having conductive lines to receive the DC powerfrom the adapter and to receive the data signal from the circuit, and totransmit the DC power and the data signal to the electronic device, theinterconnection device on one end being detachably mateable to theadapter and on the other end being detachably mateable with theelectronic device, the second end having a size and shape dependent uponthe power input opening of the electronic device.
 2. The power supplyequipment of claim 1, where the data signal is a series of digitalcharacters generated by the circuit.
 3. The power supply equipment ofclaim 1, where the data signal is an analog voltage generated by thecircuit.